Always, Forever
by MakaluLangfordBing
Summary: This is a future/flashback fic. It's either J/R or R/R, I haven't decided. Read and review! Oh, and congrats to Canada!!! :)
1. The Past is Not at Rest

Always, Forever  
by Emily (makalu_bing)  
PG13  
  
Hey, this is a fic that takes place in about four years from now. Keep in mind that this is just an introduction,   
so you can see who's with who etc. Also keep in ming that I really suck at paragraphing, so bear with me!  
  
  
"Joey? Could you come here for a second, hon?" called Rachel from the kitchen.   
  
"Yeah, just a minute.." yelled Joey from the living room. Rachel waited a few minutes, then called again.   
  
"Joey?" she said as she wandered into the living room. She burst out laughing when she saw what was going on. Four   
year old Madison had a death grip on one of Joey's legs while two year old Jacob clung to the other.   
  
"Help?" pleaded Joey as he struggled towards the door. Rachel laughed again and grabbed Jake off of Joey's leg while   
Joey tickled Madison until she could no longer hold on.  
  
"Thanks. I was starting to lose circulation" he laughed as he lifted a still giggling Madison onto his shoulders.  
  
"Could you come help me get the punch bowl down for me? Everyone else is gonna be here soon" Rachel said as she   
lifted Jake onto her hip and headed back to the kitchen. Joey followed, Madison bouncing happily on his shoulders.  
  
"I'm taller dan you, Mommy!" cried Madison from her perch on Joey.   
  
"You sure are" said Rachel as Joey kneeled down to let Madison off. He then reached into the cupboard and took   
down the crystal punch bowl. Rachel proceeded to fill the bowl with cranberry juice and Sprite, then added some   
pineapple slices and ice. Just then, the dorrbell rang.  
  
"That'll be Monica and Chandler" she said as she hurried to answer the door.  
  
"Hey!" Monica said as she stepped into the house, followed closely by Chandler and their three year old daughter   
Haley.   
  
"Hey, what took you so long?" asked Joey as he wandered into the front hall, followed closely by Jake. "It's not   
like you live on the other side of Manhattan!" he said. "All you have to do to get here is cross the street!"   
  
"Well, Monica was having trouble deciding what to wear." Chandler said, taking off his coat and hanging it up,   
then doing the same with Monica's and Haley's.  
  
"Everything I own makes me look huge!" Monica whined.  
  
"Well, hon, you ARE pregnant..." Chandler said.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm at the horrible 'in between' stage where I'm not big enough to look pregnant, but big enough to   
look fat!" she whined again.   
  
"Well, come on in. Ross should be here any time now." Rachel said, leading them into the family room.   
  
They all chatted for a while. Chandler told them all about his promotion, and their new Minivan to accompany their   
growing family. Rachel told them how Jake had learned two new words: "couch" and "pizza". Joey was very happy about   
this, as these were his two favorite things. Everyone was entertained by Madison and Haley, who were best friends   
and had entered a Pokemon phase, chasing eachother around the room yelling "I choose you, Pikachu!" After a second   
round of punch (non alcoholic so Monica and the kids could enjoy it too), the doorbell rang again.  
  
"I'll go get it" Rachel said, jumping up and nearly getting run over by the two girls, who were racing to the door   
as well, yelling "An intruder! Quick!" Rachel reached the door and opened it to reveal...  
  
"Aunty Pheobe!" yelled the girls together, running to hug her. Pheobe stumbled in, as the two girls had grabbed   
her around the legs. She was trailed by her husband David [AN the guy from Minsk :)] and their sons Alix and Devon,   
both three years old. Rachel led them into the living room and sent the kids downstairs, because they were all   
becoming unbearably noisy.  
  
"When's Ross coming?" asked Pheobe, voicing the question they were all thinking nervously.  
  
"I dunno" said Joey, shrugging uneasily. Just then, the doorbell rang again.  
  
"He's here" said Monica, glancing at Rachel, who had looked scared. "I'll get it, Rach" she said, and hurried   
to the door. But Ross had already let himself in.  
  
TBC...  
  
Haha a cliffhanger. Why are they afraid of Ross? And who is Rachel married to? Joey? Ross? Wait till the next   
chapter, friends! Reviews are apreciated, and keep in mind this is only an introduction. I'll get into details next   
time!  
Emily   
  
www.geocities.com/makalu_bing/index.html 


	2. Killing Me Softly

Hi, all. Here's my next chapter, sorry it took so long...I was having a bit of writer's  
block. But here it is. Please read the first chapter first, or you will no get this  
at all!  
  
Emily  
  
***CHAPTER 2-Killing Me Softly***  
  
"Ross" said Monica as Ross rushed over to hug her, tears in his eyes.  
  
"Hey, Mon. Long time no see" he said, his voice wavering with emotion as he pulled   
back and held her at arms length, looking her over.  
  
Chandler got up and walked over to Ross, who grabbed him in a hug. "Hey, dude.   
How're the dinosaurs?" Chandler joked.  
  
"Still make jokes when you're nervous, huh?" Ross laughed. Chandler nodded sheepishly.  
Ross walked into the living room, and Pheobe rushed over to hug him.  
  
"Hey Pheebs" he said "Hi David" he added, looking over the sobbing Pheobe's shoulder.  
When Pheobe finally let Ross go from her death grip, Ross looked across the room at   
Joey and Rachel, who were standing uncertainly behind the couch.   
  
"H-hey, Ross" Joey stammered, afraid to look Ross in the eye. He couldn't believe it   
had been nearly four years since they'd last seen one another. The day Ross left was   
still fresh in everyone's minds, though.  
  
~Flashback to February 2002~ (This is set right after TOW The Birthing Video, so a   
bit of a spoiler, WARNING!)  
  
"Look, just tell the guy!" Ross told Joey, who had finished a long rant about his   
"friend from work" and his "ex girlfriend from work" that he thought he was falling   
in love with.   
  
Ross got up to leave when Joey called out "It's Rachel"  
  
Ross stopped dead in his tracks, feeling as though he'd been hit with a ton of bricks.   
"You're in love with Rachel?" he asked, feeling his heart sinking into his stomach.  
  
"Yeah" replied Joey, looking down at his hands. "Ross, I'm so so sorry. Look, if   
you want me to shut the feelings up, I can! If-if you're still in love with her,   
you know? I couldn't steal her from you, man, you're my best friend!"   
  
"Wow, I...uh...wow" Ross stuttered, lost for words. His brain was going a million   
miles an hour. Joey loved Rachel? The first feeling he felt was angry. Rachel was   
pregnant with HIS baby! But they weren't IN love...were they?   
  
"Dude, I need to know how you feel about this" Joey said, breaking the tense silence.  
  
"I don't know" Ross said blankly. "I mean, I'm not in love with Rachel...I don't   
think...but she-she's pregnant with my baby. I'm the daddy!"   
  
"I know, Ross. And I'll back away if you want me to." Joey said, looking Ross in   
the eye for the first time.   
  
"I have to go think this over" Ross said, getting up from his stool and leaving the   
coffee house, leaving Joey staring at his retreating back wondering if he'd just ruined   
their friendship for good.  
  
.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*  
  
  
Ross fumbled with the keys to his apartment, finally finding the right one and opening   
the door. He was so confused. On one hand, he was so angry with Joey. After all,   
this was Rachel. The woman he had fallen in love with over and over again. PLUS,   
she was carrying his baby girl. But on the other hand, he was so happy that Joey was   
finally ready to settle down, finally ready to be with one woman for the rest of his   
life. Ross grabbed a beer and collapsed on the sofa. This would be so easy if it   
weren't for one thing:  
  
He was still in love with Rachel.  
  
He had pushed this love to the back of his mind ever since she found out she was   
pregnant. But he knew the feelings were still there. He couldn't count the thousands   
of times he had pictured his future: Rachel in the kitchen making chocolate chip   
pancakes (shaped like dinosaurs) for their three children, two boys and a girl, and   
Ross coming in and kissing her on the head, then patting a pregnant stomach, which   
held their future daughter. He even had names: Ruth, Emily (he and Rachel would   
fight over that, but he would eventually win) Andrew and Matthew. This was his   
plan. When he woke up with Chloe, he knew he had ruined it all. But when they got   
married in Vegas, he thought they might be able to start over; this was why he didn't   
get the annulment to start with. But Rachel never shared those same feelings. When   
they almost had sex on Monica's engagement night, the flames seemed to have been   
re-ignited, but to Ross' dismay, Monica had stopped it. Then, the night he got her   
pregnant, the passion was so great that it seemed those 20 some years of wanting   
had finally been over. But Rachel had said it was a one time thing. But when he   
found out she was having his child, it seemed like it was all coming together. And   
now, Joey had spoiled it all.  
  
Ross took a sip of his beer. He made up his mind. When Rachel got home, he was   
going to confront her and ask her if she felt the same way. He turned the TV on and   
waited.  
  
About an hour later, Rachel came home from work.  
  
"Man, what a day! Three people stormed into the store because their Ralph Lauren   
cologne gave them a rash, so we had to straighten all that out, then I had the   
longest meeting ever..." she said as she came in but stopped when she saw the   
look on Ross' face.  
  
"Ross? What's wrong?" she asked, walking over to the couch and sitting beside him.   
  
'Now or never' thought Ross.  
  
"Rachel..." he said. "I think I'm still..."...  
  
TBC....  
  
HAHAHA I AM SO EVIL!!! That's all for now, folks. Will Ross tell Rachel, or will   
he chicken out? Does Rachel still love him, or will she go for Joey when he tells   
her??? KEEP REVIEWING!!!   
  
visit my Friends site at www.geocities.com/makalu_bing/index.html!!!'  
  
Emily 


	3. Head Over Feet

***Chapter 3-Head Over Feet***  
  
K, you really need to read the first two chapters to understand anything! Ooo, and CANADA KICKS ASS!!! Ok, so here's chapter 3.  
  
"Rach..." he said. "I think I'm still...still" Ross stuttered. 'Oh my God, I can't do this!' he thought.  
  
"What, Ross?" Rachel asked, leaning in and listening attentively.  
  
"Um, I'm still...um...thirsty." he said finally, kicking himself inwardly for freaking   
out and jumping up and going into his room, slamming the door.   
  
'I can't tell her! There's no way she loves me back.' thought Ross as he collapsed   
onto his bed. 'I just need to get up the courage...'  
  
"Weird" Rachel said meanwhile, settling down on the couch with the latest issue of   
'Fit Pregnancy'. About ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. She got up   
to answer it.  
  
"Hey Rach" said Joey when she opened the door. "Listen, you wanna down to the coffee   
shop and get some coffee...well, tea for you?" he asked.  
  
"Um, sure" said Rachel as she grabbed her coat and followed Joey outside.  
  
"Listen, Rach. There's something we need to talk about" he said as they entered the   
shop a few minutes later. He sat Rachel down and went to the counter to order. He   
came back to the table.  
  
"How do you know what I want?" Rachel asked, smiling.  
  
"I know everything about you, Rach" replied Joey, looking into her eyes. "I know   
what you can and can't eat. I know your favorite soda, your favorite pizza toppings,   
you favorite authors, even your favorite baby name..." Joey began, but Rachel   
interrupted.  
  
"How do you know my favorite name? I haven't told anyone!" she said.   
  
"Rach, I told you I know everything about you." Joey answered simply.  
  
"OK, what's the name?" challenged Rachel.  
  
"Madison Anne (AN That's the name of my new baby cousin!)" said Joey. Rachel just   
stared at him.  
  
"Joe, hon, you're really starting to freak me out" Rachel said.   
  
"Rachel..." Joey said, taking her hands in his.   
  
"I think I'm in love with you" he said, just as Ross barged into the coffee shop   
yelling the same thing.   
  
"Wha...what?" Rachel asked, dumbfounded.   
  
"I'm falling in love with you" Joey said.  
  
"And I'm still in love with you, Rach" said Ross. Just then, Gunther came over.  
  
"Get out, both of you" he fumed at Ross and Joey. Ross gave Gunther an icy stare,   
and he backed off.  
  
"Oh...my God..." she said.  
  
"Listen, Rachel. If still have feelings for me, I need to know" Ross said, as   
Rachel sat down on the couch.  
  
"And if you still love him, I'll back away. I just need to know if you feel the   
same way" said Joey.  
  
"Wow" said Rachel, unsure of what to say. "Well, um Ross, listen. We've had an   
amazing eight years. On again, off again. Now this" she said, gesturing to her   
large belly. "But Ross, sweetie, I'm not in love with you. After you cheated on   
me with Chloe, after that whole break thing...don't say it!" she shouted as Ross   
opened his mouth to protest. "We're best friends. I think it should stay at that"   
she said, starting to cry at the look on Ross' face. He looked so sad, so hurt.   
"But just give me time to think about it" she said, taking his hands in hers.   
"And Joey. Oh, Joe, I had no idea. I am truly honoured. But at this point, I'm   
just trying to get through pregnancy. I'm not ready for any kind of relationship   
right now." she said, patting his knee.   
  
"Yeah, I understand, Rach" he said, and got up and left, followed by Ross.  
  
Rachel sat, stunned, not sure what to do. She knew she wasn't in love with Ross,   
but Joey! She'd had no idea he liked her, let alone loved her! Her mind all   
messed up, she left the coffee shop and headed to Monica and Chandler's.   
  
"Monica" she called a few minutes later as she stood outside the apartment.   
Monica came to the door.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" she asked Rachel, seeing her best friend's bewildered face.  
  
"Can I sleep here tonight? I don't really feel like going back to Ross' right   
now." she said.  
  
"Rach, what happened?" asked Chandler from his spot on the couch.  
  
"Ross told me he still loves me" said Rachel as she sat down at the table.  
  
"What?" asked Monica and Chandler in unison.  
  
"Yeah, and so does Joey!" she said. Monica looked uncomfortable and Chandler   
avoided Rachel's eyes. "You guys knew didn't you?!" she demanded.  
  
"Well, not about Ross!" Monica said stubbornly.  
  
"The question is, do you like them?" asked Chandler.  
  
"I don't know. I know Ross is just a good friend, you know? But I've never   
considered Joey!" said Rachel, getting up and pacing. "Well, I dunno what I'm   
going to do. I'm just gonna head to bed, ok?" she said. With that, she went   
to the spare room and went to bed.  
  
"Well, this is one awkward situation" Chandler said. There was a long pause.   
"Wanna go do it?" Chandler asked after a while.  
  
"OK (AN a la Monica)" shouted Monica, and they hurried into their room.  
  
A half hour later, Rachel knew she would never sleep with the noise the newlywed   
couple were making. She went into the kitchen for a glass of juice. Still unable   
to avoid the noise, she went out into the hallway. She sat down on the floor and   
before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep, leaning up against the wall.  
  
She didn't know how long she slept. She just remembered hands lifting her gently   
up and a voice saying "A princess like you shouldn't be sleeping like this" and a   
soft pair of lips on her forehead. The next morning she woke up snuggled down in   
a comfy bed, not remembering the incident last night until she realised where she   
was...  
  
TBC...OMG who carried her in? Whose house is she in? AHHH THE SUSPENSE!!!  
  
www.geocities.com/makalu_bing/index.html 


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